Chances - Yale SCEA (Ha)

<p>New here.
Visited Yale, loved it.
Not sure if I should bother even asking, since Yale is Yale, but chances early?</p>

<p>GPA: 97.5% (UW); 99.4% (W)
Rank: 1 of 221
SAT I: 2310 (CR 730, 800 M, 780 W)
SAT II: 770 US History, 760 World History, 730 Biology-E
AP: 5 US History, 5 World History, 4 English Language/Composition</p>

<p>ECs
(arranged in 4 categories of interest to me…)</p>

<p>*Athletics</p>

<p>Baseball team - 9 10 11 (school)
–Co-captain 10
–Highest team batting average 10
–Varsity letter 11
Long Island travel baseball team - 9 10 11 (fall & summer)
Basketball team - 9 10 11 (school)
–Varsity letter 11
Parish basketball team - 9 10 (summer)</p>

<p>*Music</p>

<p>Band (drums) - 9 10 11
–Jazz band - 10 11
–Select ensemble - 10 11
N.Y. State School Music Assoc. (drums) - 95/100 score
Tri-M Music Honor Society - 10 11
–Officer 11
Guitar (leisure) - 9 10 11
–summer lessons
Play (drums) @ local mall with 3 friends, few times/year
–any donations given to charity</p>

<p>*Math/science</p>

<p>Mathlete team - 9 10 11
–Co-captain - 11
–Silver award, County interscholastic math league
–Certificate of merit, NY math league
–On ‘A’ team at local university tourney
Science Olympiad team - 10 11
MIT summer camps - 9 10
–computer science
AMC 12 - 102.5 score
AIME qualifier </p>

<p>*Writing/art</p>

<p>School newspaper - 9 10 11
–Sports editor - 10 11
–Used computer skills to begin online PDF version of newspaper on school website
–Bronze award, Empire State Scholastic Press Assoc. - Best sports news/feature
Local Long Island newspaper - 10 11
–Occasional contributor (writer), sports
Poetry (leisure) - 9 10 11
–National silver medal - Alliance for Young Artists & Writing
–Honorable mention - IUPUI Contest
Photography (leisure) - 9 10 11
–Regional silver medal - Alliance for Young Artists & Writing
Art Honor Society</p>

<p>Miscellaneous:</p>

<p>National Honor Society (President - school chapter)
Student Government (President)
Volunteer (~150 hrs)
–Baseball, basketball summer clinics/camps
–Athletes Creating Excellence
–Local parish
–Tutoring in school district
Work, attorney’s secretary at consulting firm (20 hrs/wk, summer) - 11</p>

<p>Honor Roll
AP Scholar
National Merit Semifinalist
some minor school-related academic awards</p>

<p>Recs: Should be good, established good rapport with several teachers who also know me outside of classroom</p>

<p>Essay:
Been working on one about my experience at dog obedience training classes taken last year, and how I plan to help train dogs to be seeing eye dogs for the blind</p>

<p>I really haven’t won tons of national/international awards like so many Yalies, which I think will be my weakness. I just have a lot of interests and try to pursue them as best I can? I think Yale and other schools will probably think of me as more of a dabbler, since I’m not state ranked in band/baseball/math competitions.
For the essay I was thinking of writing about something that isn’t really shown by my other activities, not sure if this is a good idea or not but I love dogs and have always had several at a time at home. Additionally, my grandfather was always blind and I know the difference that a seeing eye dog can make for a disabled person.</p>

<p>Just wanted to see what some people here thought. If I have a shot I think I’ll apply early, otherwise I might try for Georgetown or Notre Dame, which I also like.</p>

<p>Thx</p>

<p>Not bad. Your chances are as good as they can be.</p>

<p>As to your essays your idea about dogs is a dead on good one, ONLY if the primary essay is about one of your ECs. Trusted advice from a top admission consultant is that one essay should highlight one of your ECs and make it come to life. This is especially important in your case because you seem to have a laundry list. You HAVE to make it known that you do the things you do because you love them and NOT for college. That is very important, IMO. </p>

<p>Also the dependence on national and international awards is not necessary i did not have national awards of any significance and still got in RD. Oh and definitely apply EA.</p>

<p>Thanks for the input, guys(/girls).</p>

<p>In terms of my ECs appearing like a “laundry list” of things that I may or may not be interested in (I honestly am interested in all of them and have always had a wide range of interests), would someone with less varied interests appear as a better candidate? Say, someone with a similar devotion/involvement with athletics, music, and math/science, without the writing/art activities & awards? Does too much involvement in those 4 disparate areas make me look like a “dabbler” ?
How am I supposed to appear as though my interests are genuine, other than using the essay to elaborate on one of them?</p>